New Guinea impatiens plant named `BFP-857`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `BFP-857`, characterized by its white-colored flowers; compact, upright and mounded plant habit; good basal branching; and dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `BFP-857`.

The new New Guinea Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars with excellent basal branching, upright and medium growth habit, numerous large flowers, and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new New Guinea Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the proprietary selection identified as 712-LF as the male, or pollen parent, with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Moorea` (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,147) as the female, or seed parent. The cultivar `BFP-857` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif., on Sep. 15, 1996.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Arroyo Grande, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `BFP-857`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `BFP-857` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. White-colored flowers.

2. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.

3. Good basal branching.

4. Dark green leaves.

The new New Guinea Impatiens can be compared to the parent cultivar, `Moorea`. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif., plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar `Moorea` in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are more vigorous and larger than plants of the cultivar `Moorea`.

2. Leaves of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are smaller, smoother and less numerous than leaves of plants of the cultivar `Moorea`.

3. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar `Moorea`.

4. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have shorter peduncles than plants of the cultivar `Moorea`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivar `BFP-857` and the cultivar `Moorea` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of `BFP-857`. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may appear different from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar `BFP-857` has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 10-cm pots in Arroyo Grande, Calif., under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 22° C. and night temperatures about 18° C.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `BFP-857`.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri selection 712-LF.

Female parent.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Moorea`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,147.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 7 days at temperatures about 18° C.

Time to develop roots.--About 21 days at temperatures about 18° C.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous, fine, freely branching.

Plant description:

Plant form.--Compact, upright and mounded.

Growth and branching habit.--Moderately vigorous. Good basal branching with about five lateral branches at the base, dense and bushy growth. Appropriate for 10 and 12.5-cm containers.

Plant height.--About 8.3 cm.

Crop time.--About eight weeks are required to produce a finished flowering plant in a 10-cm container from a rooted cutting.

Lateral branches.--Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 2.8 cm. Color: 144A/146A.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, in whorls or opposite. Quantity of leaves per lateral branch: About 11. Length: About 9 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Lanceolate with acuminate apex, attenuate base and serrate/ciliate margin. Texture: Smooth, slightly pubescent. Color: Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C. Venation, upper surface: 144B. Venation, lower surface: 144B. Petiole: Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Color: 144B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--White-colored flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually about four flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned mostly above the foliage and typically face upright. Flowers generally flat and rounded. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower longevity.--About 3 or 4 days.

Flower size.--Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth: About 1.2 cm.

Flower buds.--Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Light green to white, 155A.

Petals.--Quantity: Five, overlapping. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Cordate with emarginate apex, attenuate base and entire margin. Texture: Smooth, iridescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: 155A. When opening, lower surface: 155A. Fully opened, upper surface: 155A. Fully opened, lower surface: 155A.

Spur.--Length: About 6 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 154D.

Peduncles.--Length: About 4 cm. Angle: About 45° to the lateral branch. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused, filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 10D. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 4D. Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Stigma color: Colorless. Ovary color: 144A.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance to pathogens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHARACTERISTICS  `BFP-857`   `MOOREA`                                          ______________________________________                                         PLANT HEIGHT     About 8.3 cm                                                                               About 7.1 cm                                      LATERAL BRANCH   About 6 cm  About 4 cm                                        LENGTH                                                                         LATERAL BRANCH   About 5 mm  About 6 mm                                        DIAMETER                                                                       QUANTITY OF LEAVES                                                                              About 11    About 13                                          PER LATERAL                                                                    BRANCH                                                                         LEAF LENGTH      About 9 cm  About 10 cm                                       LEAF WIDTH       About 3 cm  About 4 cm                                        LEAF TEXTURE     Smooth      Some rugosity                                     PETIOLE LENGTH   About 1.3 cm                                                                               About 2 cm                                        PETIOLE DIAMETER About 2.5 mm                                                                               About 3.5 mm                                      FLOWER DIAMETER  About 6 cm  About 5.5 cm                                      PETAL LENGTH     About 2.5 cm                                                                               About 3 cm                                        PETAL WIDTH      About 3 cm  About 2.5 cm                                      PEDUNCLE LENGTH  About 4 cm  About 5 cm                                        PEDUNCLE STRENGTH                                                                               Moderate    Strong                                            ______________________________________                                     

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `BFP-857`, as illustrated and described. 